





















RUSSIAN PEASANT ART 


ILLUSTRATING THE SPECIMENS COLLECTED 
BY 

COUNT A. A. BOBRINSKY 


SIXTY PLATES 

(THREE IN COLOR) 

WITH EXPLANATORY TEXT 


H. C. PERLEBERG 

PUBLISHER 

NEW YORK 






H V\ °n s 


This book is respectfully dedicated to the thousands of 
forever anonymous Russians who created the objects 
of art herein represented; as well as to Count A. A. 
Bobrinsky who brought their work from the obscurity 
of a village or local museum into the great world. 

H. C. PERLEBERG 

New York, N. Y., March 1st, 1922 


2 

j * 








INTRODUCTION 


A few words as to how this book stands in relation to art in general, and art in Russia 
in particular, may not be misplaced. 

Wood carving began in Russia at the same time as in the rest of Europe. The Goths 
who, in the fifth to eighth centuries, developed the so-called “Gothic” style of the 
Merowingians, had crossed Russia in order to reach Europe; and had, presumably, 
left traces of this art in Russia. While in the rest of Europe art could, and did, ex¬ 
press itself in architecture, painting, sculpture, and the like, as well as in wood 
carving, conditions in Russia left wood carving the most practicable method for the 
artistic tendencies of the Russians to manifest themselves in. The peculiar condi¬ 
tions in Russia may, of course, be chiefly ascribed to the domination of the nomad 
Tatars, the Asiatic tendencies of such civilization as there was, and the break with 
Rome, since this latter involved the loss of its leadership and artistic traditions. 

It is thus evident that the genius of the Russian people expressed itself—if we 
except the development of its language—principally by means of wood carving. 

The art was carefully transmitted from father to son in countless peasant huts, and 
under these circumstances developed strict traditions to which it adhered throughout. 
The first real break occurred when Peter the Great brought Europe into Russia; and 
in the churches and the manors of the aristocracy showed new ideas—i. e. those of 
the Renaissance—to the Russian peasantry. Even then, wood carving changed 
only in more or less isolated instances. In more recent times, organized industry 
has put an end to wood carving wherever it appeared; and replaced it with articles 
which although they are cheaper and naturally enough more durable, are shoddy, 
and worthless from an artistic point of view. 

The districts lying East, North and Northeast from Moscow are today the most 
untouched by industrialism, as well as the most typically Russian. Count A. A. 
Bobrinsky, during the course of several years, collected his specimens from this sec¬ 
tion of the country. He had recourse to various collections, both public and private; 
and went to hundreds of villages for more unique and representative material. His 
careful and exhaustive researches produced a work which is a standard on the sub¬ 
ject; but which is now out of print and practically unobtainable. The Russian 
revolution has recently put an end to the development of wood carving in the old 
traditions, and incidentally made Bobrinsky’s book an epitome of the entire period. 
Under these conditions, we have felt justified in producing a new edition of the work, 
omitting some of the more redundant plates for conciseness. 




INDEX TO PLATES 


IAT' 


/USED IN INDEX TABLE 

tv /seum, of Moscow 
en eter Ivan Schtschukin, at Moscow 

rum t i Stroganow School 


4 Gables of Peasant Houses 
1-9 specimens from Gouvernement 
trchangelsk 

specimens from Gouvernement Olonetz 
it Homes—Interiors 
4 from district Totma, Gouvernement 
Wologda (photos from Coll. Bilibin, 
Petrograd) 

3 . asantHouses—FrontSteps and Porches 

1 from district Totma, Gouv. Wologda (coll. 
Bilibin) 

2- 3-4 from village in the Gouv. Olonetz 

Church Fences and Doorways 

1-3-5 from parish of Spassky—Gouv. Olonetz 
(built 1756) 

2 from parish of Samoschje—Gouv. Nowgorod 
4-6 from parish of Ljadinsk—Gouv. Olonetz 

Chapel, Peasant Houses and Barns 
1-4-7-9 peasant houses, from Gouv. Olonetz 
2 chapel, district Pudosch—Gouv. Olonetz 

3- 5-6-8 barns, from different districts of Gouv. 
Wologda and Archangelsk 

Peasant Houses, showing the charac¬ 
teristic peaked roof 

1- 5-7-8 from village of Gorschovetz—Gouv. 
Wladimir 

2- 3-4-6 from village of Gorodetz—Gouv. 
Nischny-Nowgorod 

Church Implements, Candle Sticks and 
Holders, Frames of Shrines 
1 -4-5-7 Al. Ill; 2 Jar. 3 Art Soc. 

6 shrine in Maria Ascension Church—Kem; 

Gouv. Archangelsk 
8 from Gouv. Nowgorod; 9 Te. Sm. 

10 from Gouv. Wologda; 11 Hist. M. 

Candle Tables 

1 from village of Kolossow—Jar. 

2 P. I.S. 

Candle Tables and collapsible Bible 
Desks 

1 from Church of the Ascension, at Romanow- 

Borissoglebsk—Gouv. Archangelsk 

2 from Rostow—W. Pal. 

3- 4 from Church of the Rising of Christ— 

Kostroma 

late 10. Church Implements—Shrines, Frames, 
Candle Holders 

1 Al. Ill; 2 Art Soc.; 3 Hist. M.; 4 Ac. Sc. 

5 to 9 P. I. S; 10 from Ustpadengsk—Gouv. 
Archangelsk 

Decorations of Church Choirs 

1 to 4 from Wologda Gouv—P. I. S. 

Shrines 

1-3 Hist. M.; 2-4 Stro. 

Benches, Cradles, Window Sills 

1 bench, Art Soc.; 2 cradle, Art Soc. 

3 to 6 benches, Te. Sm.; 7 window sill, Te. Sm. 

Carved Panels, Arm Chairs, Stools 

1 to 5, 8-9-12 Te. Sm.; 6 Ac. Sc.; 10 Strog. 

7 Mus. Czarewitch Demetrius; 11 Coll. 
Kulakow, Welsk 

late 15. Two Cabinets, details of Carved Orna¬ 
ments 

All from Smolensk—Te. Sm. 

Tables 

From the Gouv. Smolensk and Wologda 
1-2 Ac. Sc.; 3-11-12 Te. Sm. 

4 from village Posonia-jewskaja—Gouv. 
Wologda 

5 to 10 from Gouv. Wologda 

late 17. Painted Cabinets, Painted Cabinet 
Doors, Candle Holders 
1-4-5-6 Te. Sm.; 2-3 P. I. S.; 7 Al. Ill 


ate 


*la 5. 


,te 6. 


late 7. 


late 8. 


late 9. 


? late 11. 
; late 12. 
late 13. 


late 14. 

J 


» 1 

late 16. 

% 




late 18. 


late 19. 


* late 20. 

6 

•Vi 

late 21. 

* 


Painted Cabinets and Cabinet Doors 

1- 2-3 Hist. M.; 4 Archangelsk, Eparchial 

Antique Coll. 

5 Te. Sm. 

Carved Cabinets, Shrines, Frames and 
Table 

1 dining room cabinet 

2- 5 P I S 

4 Te. Sm.; 6 Hist. M. 

3 from village Bolshoj Chalnj—Gouv. Olonetz 
Painted Covers of Wooden Boxes and 
Trunks 

All specimens from Hist. M. 

Church Doors, Carved Window Sills, 
Shrine, Post 

1 Al. Ill; 2 to 6 from different churches— 
Gouv. Wologda 
7 Te. Sm. 


Al. III.—Museum of Alexander III., at Petrograd 
Art. Soc.—Museum of Society for the Promotion of Art 
Ac. Sc.—Museum of Petrograd Academy of Science 


Te. Sm.—Countess Tenischew Museum, at Smolensk 
Jar.—The Antique Collection of the Archiv Commission 
of Jaroslaw. 

W. Pal.—Museum of the White Palata, of Rostow 


Plate 22. 


Plate 23. 


Plate 24. 

Plate 25. 

Plate 26. 
Plate 27. 
Plate 28. 

Plate 29. 

Plate 30. 
Plate 31. 

Plate 32. 

Plate 33. 

Plate 34. 

Plate 35. 
Plate 36. 
Plate 37. 

Plate 38. 

Plate 39. 
Plate 40. 


Plate 41. 


Plate 42. 


Church Doors 

1 door from village Wlasjewskaja—Gouv. 

Wologda 

2 inner door, chapel of Sossima, village 

Ssredneje—Gouv. Wologda 

3 church of the Ascension (built 1675), Parish 

of Ustpadengsky—Gouv. Archangelsk 

4 from parish of Rostowsky-Gouv.Archangelsk 

Church Doors 

1 and 4 from Trinity Church, village Kok- 

shenga—Gouv. Wologda 

2 from Church of St. Athanasius, village 

Werchkokshenga—Gouv. Wologda 

3 from Church of Emperor Constantin, village 

Kokshenga—Gouv. Wologda 

Painted Dishes, Bowls, Deep Platter, 
Large Glass 
All specimens from Hist. M. 

Spoons 

From different collections; Petrograd and Moscow 
No. 27 to 30 spoons used in crowning of Czar 

Scoops and Ladles 

Mostly from Petrograd and Smolensk Museums 
Painted Jendowas, Skobkare (Bowls and 
Pans) All specimens from Hist. M. 
One-handled Painted Vessels (Jendowas), 
Skobkare, Flat Bowls 

1 to 7-9-12-14-17-18 to 21 Hist. M. 

8- 10-11-13 P. I.S. 

15-16 Stro. 

Salt Cellars 

1-8 to 19 Hist. M. 

2 to 7P. I.S. 

Salt Cellars, in form of ducks 

From different collections and Gouvernements 

Mortars, Salt Cellars, Drinking Glasses, 
Pitchers, Jendowas 
From different collections and Gouvernements 

Painted Hand Looms (Distaffs) 

1-8-9 Al. Ill; 2-6-1 OTe. Sm.; 3-4-7-11 Hist. M. 

5 Jar.; 12 from the Mesen district—Gouv. 

Archangelsk 

Wooden Clubs and Tools, used in wash¬ 
ing and pressing 
1 to 3 Art Soc. 

4 and 19 Hist. M. 

5 to 18 P. I.S. 

Cake Forms and Moulds 

1-2-3-8-14-15-16 from Moscow and Petrograd 
Museums 

4 and 7 from Rostow 

9- 10-12-13 Jar.; 11 from Gouv. Wologda 

Cake Forms and Moulds 

Most specimens from Hist. M. 

Hand Looms (Distaffs) 

All from the environment of Jaroslow—Jar. 

Looms with accessories—plainer 

1-2-3-4-6-7 Hist. M. 

5 P. I.S. 

Toys shown in the successive stages of 
manufacture 

1 and 2 Museum for Domestic Industry— 
Moscow 

3 to 5 from Coll. Benois—Petrograd 

Toys shown as above 

All specimens from Museum for Domestic 
Industry—Moscow 

Scenes portraying people at different 
occupations 

1 working near the home) 

2 bear hunt (Museum for Domes- 

3 the "meal” j tic Industry— 

4 carpenters at work J Moscow 

Independent Creations in Carved Sculp¬ 
tures 

1 peasant; 2 peasant and wife 

5 to 8 all from Museum for Domestic Indus¬ 

try—Moscow 

3 bear from Coll. Borutzki—Moscow 

4 General Skobelew from Coll. Bachrushin— 

Moscow 

Painted Toys—created under the in¬ 
fluence of manor and city, but still 
preserving the character of the old 
peasant art 

1 to 8 from Coll. Bartram—Moscow 

9 from Coll. Trojnitzki—Petrograd 

10 to 14, 16 to 19. 21 and 22 from Coll. 

Benois—Petrograd 
15 and 20 from Coll. Orchansky 


Plate 43. 
Plate 44. 
Plate 45. 

Plate 46. 

Plate 47. 


Plate 48. 


Plate 49. 

Plate 50. 

Plate 51. 

Plate 52. 

Plate 53. 

Plate 54. 

Plate 55. 

Plate 56. 

Plate 57. 

Plate 58. 

Plate 59. 

Plate 60. 


Same as Plate 42 

All specimens from Hist. M. 

Toy Horses and Wagons 

All specimens from Coll. Bartram—Moscow 

Window Frame and Casement, Window 
Sills 

1- 3-5-8-9-10P. I.S. 

2- 4-7 Te. Sm. 

6 from Coll. Neradowsky—Petrograd 

Window Frames and Decorations 
1 Hist. M.; 2-3-5-7 from Gouv. Archangelsk 
4 and 6 from Gouv. Wologda; 8-9-10 Al. Ill 

Posts, Medaillons, Shrines 

i-2-3-4-5 from Peter Paul Church; Putchog— 
Gouv. Wologda 

6 from Church of Annunciation; Beresnik— 

Archangelsk 

7 Ilinski-church in Bjeloserk—Gouv. Now¬ 

gorod 

8 from Church of Annunciation; Pinego— 

Archangelsk 

Window Casement, Church Anteroom, 
Candle Holders 

1 from Peter Paul Church; Putchug—Gouv. 

Wologda 

2 from Church of Annunciation; Turtschasovo 

—Archangelsk 

3 from Church of St. Nicolas; Schetogor— 

Archangelsk 

4 and 6 Hist. M. 

5 from Pogost-Bereschio—Gouv. Olonetz 
7-8-9 Tscherepowetz City Museum—Gouv. 

Nowgorod 

Door and Window Casements, Mould¬ 
ings, Carved Mouldings, Distaffs 
All specimens, except No. 6 from Hist. M. 

6 from Iwanowo-Wosnessensk; Coll. D. A. 

Burylin 

Cribs, Trunks, Drinking Cups, Sewing 
Baskets, Corn Hand Rake 

1- 4-7 from Coll. Neradowsky 

2- 3-8 Te. Sm.; 5-6-10 Hist. M. 

9 W. Pal.; 11-13 Al. Ill; 12 Jar. 

Carved Shrines (Ikons) 

1-2-5 Hist. M.; 4 Al. Ill; 3 parish Wolkow- 
Gouv. Olonetz 

6 from village Nowinskoje—'Gouv. Nowgorod 

7 from village Porshema—Gouv. Wologda 

8 from village Wajmushi—Gouv. Archangelsk 

Church Vessels, Top of Table 

1- 4-6 Hist. M.; 2 W. Pal.; 5 Al. Ill 

3 from Ssinosuski Monastery—Gouv. Now¬ 
gorod 

Carved Shrines (Ikons) 

1 and 6 Te. Sm.; 8 Al. Ill; 9 Art Soc. 

2- 3-4-5-7-10 Hist. M. 

Frames to Holy Pictures, from the Holy 
Doors leading in Russian Churches to 
the Altar Room 

Specimens taken from different places and 
Gouvernements 

Candle Holders and Candelabras 

Specimens taken from different places, as 
above 

Weather Vanes, Gable Ornaments, Boats 

1- 4-5-6-7-8-9 Ac. Sc. 

2 and 7 from Gouv. Archangelsk 

3 from Gouv. Olonetz 

Sleighs and Horse Collars (Hoops) 

1 from Gouv. Nowgorod 

2- 5-9-10 Te.Sm. 

3 from Gouv. Wologda; 4 Al. Ill 
6-7-8 from Welikij-Ustjog 

Hand Sleighs and Bobs 

1-2-5 from Gouv. Wologda 

3- 4-6-7 from Gouv. Archangelsk 

Peasant Cart, Horse Collars (Hoops), 
Fittings for extra Horse 

1- 3-4-7-8-10-11 Moscow, Museum for Domestic 

I ndustry—Moscow 

2- 6 from Welikij-Ustjog 

5 Jar.; 9 from Rostow, W. Pal.; 12 from 
Rybinsk 

Crosses, Chapel, Wayside Shrines, Grave 
Monuments 

Specimens from the Gouvernements Wologda, 
Archangelsk and Olonetz 
















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